Learn How to Find and Achieve a Better Work-life Balance
What is Work-life Balance, and Why is It Important to an Employee?
In today’s modern time and age, work-life balance can seem like an impossible achievement. With the evolution of technology, employees/workers are accessible around the clock. Amid fears of job loss, several workers, according to a Harvard Business School survey, worked more than 65 hours per week. Sadly though, the compounding stress from the never-ending workday is detrimental as it hurts the relationship, health, and general happiness. On the other hand, this concept draws a different meaning to every individual. Someone might view as having a flexible schedule to enroll for a part-time graduate degree. Another person might feel satisfied by leaving work early to have dinner with his family. In other words, you attain life balance when you get enough time to pursue both work and personal interests that you love.
Now, what do the health and career experts say about getting that life balance?
Here Are Tips That Can Help You Find the Work-life Balance:
- Shade Off the Habit of Perfectionism
Perfectionism is one habit that grows from a tender age, especially from overachievers when demands on their time are restricted to school, hobbies and sometimes afterschool jobs. The fact is that it’s easier to maintain that habit at a young age, but as time goes, life gets complicated. This is when you’re to juggle between work, family, and your own responsibilities. Perfectionism then becomes agonizingly out of reach, and if not put to check, you may find it hard to achieve a work-life balance. Strive to be excellence in whatever you do and let go of perfectionism.
- Restrain From Time-wasting Activities and People
More often than not, we may find ourselves getting preoccupied with activities that do not add value to our lives. You must first learn to identify what’s most important in your life. Of course, it will differ from one individual to another; therefore, you must ensure that it truly reflects your priorities. Then, you’ll set up strong boundaries so that you devote quality time to those high-priority activities or people. And in the event you find your time chocked with less constructive people, find means to curb these diplomatically. On the other hand, you may turn to productivity software like LeechBlock or RescueTime if you find surfing Facebook is limiting your work done.
- Exercise and Meditate
We schedule our time for some crucial thing in life like eating, going to the bathroom, or sleeping. But there’s one essential need that’s important for work-life balance which was often ignored—exercise. Yes, exercise!
From health experts’ point of view, exercise is a stress-reliever as it pumps the feel-good endorphins through your body and helps lift your mood, which then can push you to a meditative state. You can begin by dedicating a few portions of time each week to self-care, whether it’s yoga, exercise, or meditation.
The Importance of Work-life Balance
The whole idea of getting a balance between your personal interests and work-life entails some elements of control and ownership. An employee who achieves that balance tends to feel motivated and less stressed out at work, which in the end increases company productivity and minimizes the number of conflicts among coworkers and management. Therefore, companies that attain a reputation for inspiring the concept of work-life balance attract more workers. The employee retention rates are higher, resulting in less time-consuming training, loyalty, and a greater degree of in-house expertise.
How Employers Can Encourage Balance in the Office?
Several companies task project managers with the responsibility of supporting team development and demanding industry working condition standards.
Here are some of the ways employers can encourage work-life balance in the office.
- Foster Vacations
In most cases, employees in small and growing start-ups often get most pressure working every day devoid of personal time and self-rejuvenation. Now, employers can encourage employees to take vacations for their own gain by introducing the “use it or lose it” vacation policy. In other words, employees’ are assigned vacation time, which expires at the end of the year if left unutilized.
- Promote Short Breaks Throughout the Day
From a mental and physical perspective, workers must take frequent breaks throughout the day. These breaks make employees better at their work because they are more focused, fewer burned out, and more productivity.
- Permit Schedule Flexibility
It follows that not every enterprise/business is well-suited for a virtual workforce. However, it’s another ball-game when employees get an opportunity of working remotely when they really need to due to an emergency that requires them to make up the time later. For instance, if your employee’s kid is sick, ponder the idea of her having the opportunity to work from home that particular day or come into the office over the weekend just to make up for the lost time.
- Develop a Designated “Quiet Space”
Naturally, an employee might have a bad day from time-to-time, and so it’s courteous to have space for employees to have to step away from the moment. On that note, you may design a quiet space in your office where employees can take a mental break whenever they need to. As part of the work-life balance procedure, the designated space should be uncluttered and free from any company materials. Instead, load it with cozy seating, some light reading material, and perhaps some soft music. Ensure that the space shade off any possibility of chatter, laughter, or venting from employees.
Conclusion
Work-life balance is not achievable without proper policies in place at work. And, therefore, employers have the prerogative to help employees the concept by instituting policies, procedures, actions, and expectations that ensure they pursue more balanced lives. Remember that attaining the balance doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time, strategy, and well-laid out thought process.
